The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-30
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES At
VERMONT ACADEMS-SAN
TONS RIVER.

From our special Correspondent
The closing exercises of this young and
promising Vermont school were of more
than usual interest this year, for they In
cluded, among other things, the laying of
the corner stone of the main building,
which has been needed during the past
few wears. This edlilce is to contain rec
itation rooms on the first floor, music and
other rooms on the second floor and
spacious auditorium ON the third. There
is also going up a magnificent home for
the principal, west of the boys dormitory,
The exercises of commencement week
were never more interesting though they
were not so fully attended as in some for
mer years, owing to the rain storm of
Wednesday and Thursday. These eNer-
cises commenced Sunday with a sermon
before the Y. NJ. c, A, by S. f. Smith,
ID. d., of Newton Center, Mass, author
of America" and other poems. Sun
dcy evening DR.. Sanford of st. Johnsbu-
~, the oldest Baptist Clergyman in Yer
mont, gave the baccalaureate sermon. On
Monday evening musical concert was
given by the vocal class. Tuesday after
noon the laying of the corner stone of
the main building was attended to with
appropriate exercises, speeches being
made by Col. Fuller, president of the
board of visitors, and by Rev. Jesse b.
Thomas of Brookline. "Wednesday NOR
ming the reunion of the alumni occurred,
There We're about fifty alumni present at
the commencement exercises. In the at
ternoon Mrs. Mary A. Livermore, of
Boston, spoke to Il large audience in Ar
mory hall. Her theme was Wendell Phil
lips and his times. This was a most in
teresting and eloquent address. Mrs. l..
is one of the foremost women of the age,
and she drew the portrait of Wendell Phil
lips in mastery manner, painting it upon
the great dark background of of slavery.
A concert troop from Boston accompa-
MED by Mrs. L. Humphrey Allen gave
the concert on Wednesday evening; and
on Thursday came the graduating speech
es and essays, the banquet and the princi-
pals reception. There were fifteen mem
bers of the class of 81 who acquitted
themselves in most creditable manner.
Among those from this part of the State
belonging to the class were Miss Lulu f.
Davidson of Newfane, Miss Edith Foster
and Miss Angie Bolles of Saxtons Riv-
er and Geo Holden of Chester.
This Academy is second to no school
in the State in the advantages it offers to
students. 1t has been growing in num-
bers but slowly during the past few
years because of lack of funds to erect
more buildings. But money is now forth
coming and it is to be hoped that abund-
ant accommodations will be furnished so
that so many need not be turned away as
for lack of room. There are
at present two spacious dormitories, a
large dining hall and chapel and a spa
cious gymnasium. But these, thus far,
are not sufficient to accommodate all who
wish to come, and many applicants have
to be sent away yearly. With the main
building and another dormitOry, which is
hoped will be built at an early date, these
applicants can all be received. The aver
age attendance per term is from l25 to
$50, but there is no reason this number
cannot be augmented to 200 or 300.
Students sent to this institution are at
once placed under the best of influences
and the best of instruction. They come
at once into close contact with the teach
ers who are most of them graduates of
colleges, and are all very excellent instruc-
tors. Military drill gymnastic exercises,
music and art are among the features of
the course of study. No one can do bet
ter than send their children to Vermont
Academy for instruction.